Château Mercian Mariko: Turning Barren Land into a Biodiverse Haven Through Sustainable Practices

In this edition of Green Japan, Euronews reporter Damon Embling delves into the efforts of Château Mercian Mariko vineyard and winery in central Japan. The vineyard, located near Ueda, was once a barren mulberry field. However, through dedicated work, the land has been transformed into a thriving ecosystem that provides a natural habitat for various insect species, including some that are endangered.

The business at Château Mercian Mariko adopts a circular approach by composting remains from grape pressing and converting pruned vine branches into biochar, a type of charcoal. This approach not only minimizes waste but also contributes to the overall sustainability of the vineyard and winery.

Château Mercian Mariko is among the 80 early adopters in Japan of a global framework launched by the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). This framework encourages businesses to assess and report on their nature-related risks and impacts, ultimately aiming to drive capital towards more positive outcomes for nature.

Damon spoke with an environmental specialist from Kirin, owner of Château Mercian Mariko, who emphasized the importance of water and nature capital to their business operations in line with TNFD’s commitment. In Tokyo, Damon interviewed a TNFD taskforce member who stressed the need for global companies to support others in exploring nature-positive practices. Additionally, a Tokyo professor highlighted the significance of creating business opportunities that protect nature as a fundamental step towards transforming the global economic system.

Japanese businesses are increasingly under pressure to protect nature and promote sustainability. Supported by an international framework that aims to redirect financial resources towards more nature-positive outcomes, they are rising to this challenge.

In this article we explore one such Japanese company – Château Mercian Mariko vineyard and winery – which has successfully transformed its land from barren mulberry fields into a thriving ecosystem providing natural habitats for various insect species including some that are endangered.

The business at Château Mercian Mariko adopts a circular approach by composting remains from grape pressing and converting pruned vine branches into biochar. This approach not only minimizes waste but also contributes significantly to sustainability.

Owned by Kirin Holdings Company, Château Mercian Mariko is among 80 early adopters in Japan of TNFD’s global framework which encourages businesses to assess and report on their nature-related risks and impacts aiming towards driving capital towards more positive outcomes for nature.

Damon spoke with an environmental specialist from Kirin who emphasized the importance of water and nature capital to their operations in line with TNFD’s commitment. In Tokyo he interviewed TNFD taskforce member who stressed on global companies supporting others exploring nature-positive practices.

A Tokyo professor also highlighted creating business opportunities that protect nature as crucial steps towards transforming the global economic system.